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2Sheets 8116852. A. V. HYSORE. APPARATUS FOR TREATIKG TOBACCO.

Patented July 6,1897..

No Model.)

PATENT nron.

ALPHENAS v. IIYsoRn, on RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR on 'lWO-TI-IIRDS TOs. P. MAYO AND w. J. WHITEI-IURST, OF SAMEPLAGE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,759, dated July 6,1897. Application filerl January 7, 1897. Serial No 618,347. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHENAS V. HYSORE, a resident of Richmond, in thecounty of I-Ienrico and State of Virginia, have inventedcer- Io itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in tobacco drying and orderingapparatus, the

object of the same being to provide a simple and eifective apparatus inwhich the drying, cooling,.and ordering devices are all inclosed withinone frame or housing, the several compartments of which are connected bypassageways for the endless belt, so that the tobacco to be treated isfirst subjected to a continuous blast of air for expelling the moisture,then carried through a cooling chamber, where it is, cooled, and finallythrough the ordering-chamber.

A further object is toprovide means for supplying the severalcompartments with fresh air and with means for relieving overpressurewithin the compartments.

A further object is to so construct all of the compartments and partstherein that practically all the air forced through the tobacco isimmediately heated and kept in motion.

A further object is to provide'means for supporting the sections of theendless conveyer so that practically no lifting strain or stress isborne by the couplings connecting the sections.

A further object is to provide means for relieving excess of pressurewithin the several compartments and for keeping the air in motion.

WVith these ends in View my invention consists in the parts andcombinations of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed outin the claims.

In, the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in longitudinalsection of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view intransverse section of same. Fig. 3 is a View in plan of a portion of theendless conveyer. Fig. 4: is a view in transverse section of same. Fig.5 is a View of a section of the side and idly in a horizontal plane.

top walls of the housing, and Fig. 6 is a View of the gearing foroperating mechanism for stripping the tobacco from the conveyer and foractuating the reel. 55

A represents a housing rectangularin shape and constructed of an innerand outerslieathing a a and an intermediate layer of flooringpaper a forthe purpose of providing, as far as possible, an air-tight casing whichwill pre vent the admission or escape of air except at such points asare open for the escape and admission of air. This housing A is dividedby the partitions b 1) into a series of compartments, in the presentinstance six, which I have lettered B, O, D, E, F, and G, respec tively.

The partitions Z), which separate the chambers B, O, and D, are composedeach of two sections, the uppersections of which are made of two layersof sheathing and an intermediate layer of floor-paper, while the lowersections thereof are made of sheet metal, perforated throughoutpractically its entire surface, as shown in Fig. 2, for the passage ofthe pipes H, constituting the steam-radiator. The partitions b areconstructed entirely of the double layers of sheathing and intermediatelayer of paper, and all of said partitions, together with the end wallsa of the housing, are

provided each with an opening extending throughout the width of theinternal dimensions of the housing, slightly above the upper row ofpipes of the steam-radiator.

Secured to the inner walls of .the housing and extending throughout thelength of same are the L-shaped beams I. These beams pass throughtheopenings in the several partitions, and thus form a straight track onwhich the endless conveyer J travels. This conveyer is composed of aseries of rectangular or square frames J, the meeting ends of theadjacent frames being connected to a shaft J carrying rollers J Theserollers are designed to run and move on the L'shaped beams I, and hencethat portion of the enclless conveyer within the housing is held sol- Atthe front or feeding end of the apparatus the angle-irons K, U-shaped incross-section, extend from a point below the floor up to and connectwith the L-shaped irons I, so as to direct the roll- Ioo ers up to theplane they occupy while passin g through the apparatus. These irons Kare formed in the arc of a circle, and hence offer but little resistanceto the travel of the conveyer.

Located at the discharge end of the apparatus is the reel or spider L,the surfaces of which correspond in size with the size of the frames Jof the conveyerJ. vided at the angles with the hook-shaped fingersj,which latter are adapted to grasp the shafts J and thus move theconveyer to ward the discharge end of the apparatus. This reel L isprovided with the toothed wheel L, which latter is driven by the worm Lon the shaft L This shaft, which is the driving-shaft of the conveyer,is driven by a belt or other suitable gearing engaging or meshing withthe pulley or wheel L on the upper end of the shaft. The reel projectsbeyond the discharge end of the housing, its projectin g portion beingcovered by the curved shield M, which terminates at its lower end in adischarge-hopper M.

Located within the hopper M and in a position to engage the surface ofthe conveyer is the scraper, comprising a shaft M and thespirally-arranged ribs M the latter being preferably of rubber. Bymaking the ribs of rubber they can engage the conveyer with considerablepressure, if necessary, and thus effectually remove or strip all thetobacco therefrom without injuring the latter. This scraper is actuatedby the bevel-pinion M on the driving-shaft L The conveyer is supportedbelow the housing by the Lshaped angle-irons N, which latter extend fromthe hopper M to the irons K, and thus operate to support the section ofthe conveyer below the apparatus horizontally and prevent the weightthereof from falling on the joints connecting the sections thereof.

N is a water-trough located below the floor of the apparatus, and withinthe trough is the roller or cylinder N, covered withfelt, which latterbeing partly submerged is always saturated and operates by its contactwith the wire-gauze coverings J of the frames J to cleanse the same andloosen up and remove any particles of leaf adhering thereto. Thecylinder N is revolved in adirection opposite the direction of movementof the conveyer by the shaft N which latter is driven by a bolt orsuitable gearing.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the sectional conveyer issupported throughout its entire length. Hence there is never any unduestress or strain on the parts connecting the sections constituting theconveyer.

Located within the compartments B C D and filling the greater part ofthe space below the conveyer are the steam-pipes 1-1. These pipes areseparated sufficiently to permit of the free passage of air between themand extend from one side of the housing to the other, so that all of theair forced downwardly by the fans is brought into direct con- This reelis pro-,

tact with the pipes or the hightly heated air surrounding the pipes andis relieved of its moisture. By filling practically the entire spacebelow the conveyer with steam-pipes the air as it is forced through thetobacco is hot pipes, and besides being relievedof its moisture isheated and immediately begins to ascend.

Located within the several compartments are the fans 0. These fansnearly equal in diameter the width of the compartments and are securedon shafts 0, which pass up and through the top of the housing, eachshaft being provided at its upper end with a pulley or gear-wheel bywhich motion is transmitted to the fan. The fan-blades constituting afan are surrounded by a peripheral band 0, which operates to causepractically all the air to be driven-downwardly instead of laterally,thus concentrating practically the entire blast onto the tobacco on theendless conveyer immediately under the fan.

The fans rest well down over the conveyer in close proximity thereto andoperate to force the air through the tobacco and through the wire-gauzescreens J secured to the conveyer-frames J. The air thus forced throughthe tobacco takes up the moisture therefrom,

immediately brought into contact with the and the moistened air comingin contact with the hot pipes H is immediately robbed of its moistureand heated and immediately begins to ascend. The downwardly-movingcurrent created by the fan prevents the air from risin g under the fan.Hence it seeks an egress from the hot compartment at a point as farremoved from the fan as possible, or at the end of the compartmentfarthest removed from the fan. This ascent of the air is assisted by thesmall fans P, located in the fanchambers P at the side of the severalheating-compartments, each fan-chamber being provided with an air-inletleading from the heating-compartment and an outlet leading Thecompartment E, which is for cooling the tobacco, is provided with thetwo fans 0 and P, identical in construction and operation with the fansin the heating-chambers, and as compartment E is not heated it will beseen that the tobacco as it passes through it is cooled and got intocondition for ordering.

The two compartments F and Gr are like compartments E, except that thefans P of the other compartments are dispensed with, a

single fan Q bein g located in the partition between the twocompartments. WVhile this fan Q is intended to assist in the circulationof the air within the compartments, it is also a designed to spray waterand steam by centrifugal action onto the tobacco on the conveyer, andthus get the tobacco in condition for working. Thisfan Q necessarilyrevolves rapidly, and waterforced thereagainst by a steam or otherinjector q is thrown off in the form of spray onto the tobacco as thelatter is carried slowly along on the continuouslymoving endlesscarrier.

The tobacco, after it has been dipped into the licorice or otherpreparation employed for flavoring, is deposited on the endless conveyerat the feeding end A of the apparatus and is gradually conveyed firstthrough the heating-compartments, where the excess of liquid isevaporated and the tobacco gradually dried. It then passes into thecooling-compartment, where it is cooled, and from thence 7 into theordering-compartments, where it is ordered or got into condition whereit can be Worked. After leaving the ordering-chamher it passes over thereel and is removed from the conveyer by the scraper M after which thesurface of the conveyer is cleaned and polished by the saturated-feltcylinder N.

All the movable parts are geared to move 'in unison and at properrelative speeds by suitable belting or gears.

It is evident that numerous slight changes might be made in the generalform and arrangement of the several parts herein shown.

and described without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not wish I. tolimit myself to the precise details of construction herein shown anddescribed; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

-1. An apparatus for drying tobacco, comprising a housing, a series ofcompartments separated by partitions, an endless conveyer.

passing lengthwise through the several compartments, a series ofheating-pipes located immediately below the conveyer a fan located abovethe conveyer, and adapted to force air downward throughjhe tobacco tothe heating-pipes below, and outlet for the escape of the airsubstantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus for treating tobacco comprising a housing, a series ofcompartments separated by partitions, an endless conveyer passinglengthwise through the several compartments, a series of heating-pipeslocated immediately below the conveyer, a large fan for creating adownward blast of air located above the conveyer nearer one end of eachcompartment and a smaller exhaust-fan located near the other end- 3. Anapparatus for treating tobacco comprising a series ofheating-compartments, a cooling-compartment and an ordering-compartmentand an endless conveyer passing lengthwise through the severalcompartments', the heating-compartments having a radiator orheating-pipes located in and practically j filling the compartmentsbelow the conveyer, tracks extending throughout the several compartmentsfor supporting the con veyer, a blast-fan in each compartment locatedabove the conveyer and adapted to force air downward through the tobaccoto the heating-pipes below, and a means of escape for the air.

4. The combination with a drying-compartment and an endless elevatorpassing through same, of heating-pipes located below and practicallyfilling the space below the conveyer, air-inlet pipe above the conveyer,afan for forcing the air down through the conveyer and a smallexhaust-fan located in a plane above the first-mentioned fan,substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for treating tobacco, the combination with a housing,and a track extending throughout the length of same, of an endlessconveyer comprising frames covered with wire-gauze, shaft-s mounted onrollers, each shaft connecting two adjacent frames, tracks located belowthe housing for supporting the returning portion of the conveyer, curvedirons connecting the tracks at one end and a reel over which theconveyer passes at the other end.

6. In an apparatus for treating tobacco, the combination with a housing,and an endless conveyer passing through and supported within the same,of a scraper comprising a cylinder having yielding spiral ribs thelatter adapted to move in contact with the conveyer and remove thetobacco therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ALPHENASV. HYSORE.

Vitnesses:

M. A. WoonELL, A. D. CRUTOHFIELD.

